Showing posts with label Oregon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oregon. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

QUICK TRIP TO PORTLAND & CLASS REUNION

August 14 - 21, 2013

Even though we sold everything and said goodbye to everyone, I had one more obligation that needed to be honored...my 40th class reunion.  Five years ago, my friend Linda called and asked me if I was going to the reunion and I said "Is there a reunion?"  Evidently, I wasn't the only one unsure there was a celebration scheduled.  Only 11 people showed and we pledged to make sure that communication was better for the 40th so everyone would have an opportunity to attend.


I am so lucky, I went to high school on the Oregon Coast.  We lucked out and weather was great.  A total of 50 people showed for the reunion!  

Success!



 Since I was on the West Coast, I also took care of a couple of housekeeping chores and visited with a couple of friends - thanks to everyone who took care of me.  I loved the BBQ pork chops (Joyce);  practicing Spanish with Cathy; Josh's B'day at Al's (Debbi); and the peacefulness of staying on a houseboat, except for the construction but I ignored it  (Jean and Mary's).






Wondering what Ray did while I was gone?  He played with our nephew Erik and g'nephew Ben.


Sunday, June 16, 2013

GOODBYE BAKER CITY, GOODBYE OREGON


June 16, 2013

Our tour of Oregon is complete.   We are ending of our stay in Baker City and will be heading to Idaho tomorrow.  No more seeing familiar places and remembering days gone by.  We spent the last two days exploring Baker City.  Checking out my childhood home, various scenic places for a few snapshots and walking the final leg of the Leo Adler Parkway.

My childhood home 


Baker City Golf Course
View from my old house.



Powder River running through town 
Geocaching in Downtown Baker
Geiser Pollman Park


We are happy that we spent the last month visiting with friends, but we are ready and looking forward to what comes in the next few months.

Now don't we look like were ready for something?




MT VIEW RV PARK - BAKER CITY OREGON


June 16, 2013

We have stayed at Mt. View RV Park for the past 10 days.  This is our fifth or sixth visit to the park. Most people staying here are traveling through Baker to another destination. The park is organized and runs like a machine.  It is established but well maintained.  It feels like Baker...rustic.






The park is quiet and comfortable. Carrie and her staff greet everyone with cheerfulness and willing to assist with all sorts of questions and needs. The bathrooms, showers and laundry are clean and in good operating order.  There is a pool and small basketball court.   It is easy to navigate from the park to various parts of town. Dogs have great places to walk and sniff just outside the park.

There are a variety of campers.  Most are in motorhomes, fifth wheels or trailers.  Every night we have been here there has been car campers and bicyclist enjoying tenting on the green grass. We have met several that are full-time RV’rs like us. 

As I have said before, it is quiet.  Most campers stroll around and chat with others who are outside enjoying the evening breeze.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

MORNING WALK IN BAKER CITY

June 14, 2013

Ray and I made a pack that by 9 a.m. each day we are not traveling, we will be doing something, e.g. bike riding, walking, something/anything outside of the RV.  (We could easily get addicted to our recliners and DISH TV-- really easy.)

Today we are doing my favorite walk - down Hughes Lane; to Leo Alder Parkway along the Powder River; walk by high school and then back to Mt. View RV.  It takes about an hour and is 3 miles.  Perfect for Ray, the dogs and me.

HUGHES LANE - 1 mile

Hughes Lane is within the city limits, but I feel like I'm in the middle of the country.  I love walking out of the RV Park and seeing this field and watch the farmers or are they ranchers working.  Something this city girl doesn't see up close very often.

The most fun thing about walking along the road is everyone waves at you.   All sorts of cars, trucks, horse trailers, and other interesting vehicles traveling this road.  My favorite is  farmers with dogs riding in the back of their trucks.
How is this for a watering system?  This is a long sprinkler with a pivot at one end.  It goes in a slow circle and covers the entire field.


Lucky day for us.  We saw a deer near the river.  


Ranchers getting ready to cut alfalfa.  While we were there, the semi came that they started their work for the day.   I wonder if this is the Hughes family of Hughes Lane?









LEO ADLER MEMORIAL PARKWAY - 1.0 mile

One quick mile down Hughes Lane, cross over the Powder River and you are at Leo Adler Memorial Parkway.  Leo Adler was a long time Baker businessman and when he passed, he bequest funds for scholarships and to improve the city of Baker.



The walkway is paved and weaves its way across Baker.  My favorite walk is to the city park.  Today, we are taking the loop to the high school.  Yep, Ray's taking pics and has left me with the dogs.













I'm update my facebook page.





The parkway runs next to "Mr Hughes" property. I was amazing that we were walking so close to where they were cutting alfalfa.  On the other side of the field is the high school.  Love small towns.

POWDER RIVER

My dad use to say the Powder River was an inch deep and a mile wide.  I have no idea where this came from.  But it did confuse me for years.  As you can see in the pics below - its probably four feet deep and 16 to 20 feet wide.

Sydney, our border  collie/springer spaniel,  loves to swim.  She take advantage of  any opportunity to swim where ever we go.  In her younger years, she would swim for hours.  Now, we are more cautious and she has to be leashed incase she gets into trouble.



The kids, big and little, float through town on the Powder River.  This is the spot where they take out their tubes,  rafts, etc. out.  Someday, I'm going to do this.






Louie on the other hand, was not interested in taking a dip.


BAKER HIGH SCHOOL - GO DAWGS - 0.8 miles

There is only one high school in Baker.  It serves students from all over the county.  There is a huge sports complex behind the school.  All the grounds are well maintained.  It is so nice to see community pride.


The East/West Shrine Football Game is held here annually in August.  The town is full of football spirit.  There is a parade, cowboy breakfast, tri-tip steak BBQ and other activities.  The main event is the football game in this beautiful stadium.





"Ode to High School"  The mural is composed of squares, each depicting an aspect of high school life — sports, music, FFA, rodeo, FBLA, welding, film, chess, PE, health, culinary arts, theater, art, math, science, language arts and history




GRAVEL ROAD - 0.2 miles

The end of our walk is from the football stadium to the RV Park.  Nothing really exciting about this piece of the walk except for the thought of home.  We did walk by the "In and Out" today.  It has been here forever.  I remember really tall ice cream cones for a quarter.  I suggested it to Ray and he nixed it, something about being counterproductive...


Tuesday, June 11, 2013

GRANT COUNTY – A GREAT PLACE TO CALL HOME


June 11, 2013

My cousin, Tammy, and I took off early this morning for Grant County.  People who have visited this part of Eastern Oregon call it “God’s County” and I agree.   I love driving through the ponderosa pines and seeing the Strawberry Mountains in the distance.   As a plus, I had a great visit with my cousin, Carrol, and my cousin Delmas and his wife Mary.  

There was much teasing about the city cousin.  I offered to help with bringing in the cattle this year until I heard I would have to ride a horse!  Yep, they are still bringing the cattle through town and using horses.  
Sumpter Valley

The view from Carrol's house

My cousin Carrol

Carrol's goats.  She is going to name one of the kids "Deb" :)
Dixie Creek Road

Quail sitting on the rail.



View from my cousin's ranch on Dixie Creek


Prairie City Oregon

Strawberry Mountain Range

Forest Ranch outside of Prairie City

Austin Oregon - my mom lived here


Austin Valley